Approximately 1000 scarves and other items from knitting enthusiasts in America have arrived at Morioka’s Recovery Support Center in Uchimaru, Morioka.
Along with a message reading “We hope you will have warm hearts and warm bodies this winter. We will continue to give our support. With love and prayers”, each item was knitted with the love and consideration of the sender, who wishes the disaster victims stay warm this winter.
The scarves were designed by Yumiko Alexander, a knit-designer born in Yamanashi Prefecture but now living in Phoenix, Arizona. Alexander became unwell from the shock of hearing of the disaster, but feeling that there was something she could do, she thought of a design with Japanese tastes in mind, and called for help with the knitting. News of her idea spread widely when yarn companies and shops tried to gather customers to knit the items that Alexander had been recruiting help for through earthquake blogs and handicraft publication companies since the middle of April. Nearly 90% of the scarves that arrived were made by Americans. The scarves came from all over America, including New York and Hawaii.
“America is a country with charity deeply rooted in their lives”. Even around Alexander, there were many people who did what they could through their hobbies, such as a yoga teacher who organized an outdoor yoga event to collect money, she explains.
Knitting can’t be finished straight away. It takes time to knit a complete piece. “As the days and weeks passed, different news was being shown on the TV. But even though the world goes on, we wanted to say that we still remember what happened”. Their memory of the disaster doesn’t fade with time, and the feeling that thoughts from abroad will continue have been knitted into the scarves.
While the scarves will be distributed through the "Save Iwate" Support Team at the Disaster Victim Support Center (2F), they will also be offered at the free market for those in shelters and temporary housing along the coast.
Alexander says "Because they are hand-made, just like wrapping themselves with our warm wishes, we all made the scarves hoping that the wearer's hearts will be warmed. I'm very glad that there are so many people who are worried for Japan.
It's my job to tell everyone about the situation in the devistated area.
I have to tell them that their scarves have arrived.
Morioka Times 29th Septmeber 2011 (Thu)
Along with a message reading “We hope you will have warm hearts and warm bodies this winter. We will continue to give our support. With love and prayers”, each item was knitted with the love and consideration of the sender, who wishes the disaster victims stay warm this winter.
The scarves were designed by Yumiko Alexander, a knit-designer born in Yamanashi Prefecture but now living in Phoenix, Arizona. Alexander became unwell from the shock of hearing of the disaster, but feeling that there was something she could do, she thought of a design with Japanese tastes in mind, and called for help with the knitting. News of her idea spread widely when yarn companies and shops tried to gather customers to knit the items that Alexander had been recruiting help for through earthquake blogs and handicraft publication companies since the middle of April. Nearly 90% of the scarves that arrived were made by Americans. The scarves came from all over America, including New York and Hawaii.
“America is a country with charity deeply rooted in their lives”. Even around Alexander, there were many people who did what they could through their hobbies, such as a yoga teacher who organized an outdoor yoga event to collect money, she explains.
Knitting can’t be finished straight away. It takes time to knit a complete piece. “As the days and weeks passed, different news was being shown on the TV. But even though the world goes on, we wanted to say that we still remember what happened”. Their memory of the disaster doesn’t fade with time, and the feeling that thoughts from abroad will continue have been knitted into the scarves.
While the scarves will be distributed through the "Save Iwate" Support Team at the Disaster Victim Support Center (2F), they will also be offered at the free market for those in shelters and temporary housing along the coast.
Alexander says "Because they are hand-made, just like wrapping themselves with our warm wishes, we all made the scarves hoping that the wearer's hearts will be warmed. I'm very glad that there are so many people who are worried for Japan.
It's my job to tell everyone about the situation in the devistated area.
I have to tell them that their scarves have arrived.
Morioka Times 29th Septmeber 2011 (Thu)
